SOFTBALL: Rebuilt Hanover clinches playoff berth

Despite graduating three Patriot Ledger All-Scholastics, the Indians (10-4) have come back stronger than ever this season.

James Brooks

HANOVER – Joe Messina easily could have taken a step back, looked at the big picture and labeled the 2014 Hanover High softball season a rebuilding year.

Hardly a soul would have blamed him. After all, his Indians squad lost seven seniors to graduation last spring, including Patriot Ledger All-Scholastics Molly MacNeill (a shortstop who hit .453), Katherine Skordinski (a third baseman with a .655 on-base percentage) and Janet Taylor (a catcher who batted .534 with 33 RBI in 23 games).

That trio helped the 2013 team go 13-7 in the regular season and win a pair of playoff games before falling to eventual champ Bishop Stang in the Division 2 South Sectional quarterfinals.

This year’s squad of six freshmen, eight sophomores, one junior and two seniors seemed to have their work cut out for them.

Choosing to reload instead of rebuild, Messina decided to stay true to a set of three personal goals he sets for his team each year.

Said Messina: “I told the girls at the beginning of the year, our first goal is to get into the tournament. Second is to win the division and third is to get to Taunton (for the sectional title game).”

Hanover now can cross the first of those goals off the checklist. The Indians (10-4, 7-3 Patriot League) defeated North Quincy, 6-1, Tuesday to secure a trip to the postseason.

“A lot of young girls, a lot of teaching a lot of coaching,” Messina said of the season so far. “They’re all picking it up … I’m just proud of the girls. They’re playing up to their abilities. If somebody told me we’d be 10-4 at this time I’d be very happy.”

Hanover got it done this game thanks to a clutch two-hit, 10-strikeout performance from sophomore pitcher Callie MacDonald – one of many underclassmen who has had to step up in order for the Indians to chip away at the trifecta of goals.

“Callie keeps us in the game with her pitching,” Messina said. “She’s only a sophomore. It’s nice for me because for two more years, it will only get better.”

Another player whom Messina praised (chiefly for her outstanding defense) was sophomore shortstop Linnea Martin.

“A lot of us have played since we were pretty young,” Martin said. “Callie, myself and one of the other freshmen play club softball. We’ve been practicing year-round.”

With this latest victory, Messina said that a significant amount of pressure had been lifted off the team’s shoulders. The Indians were coming off a 5-3 loss to Hingham on Monday that had delayed the playoff clinching.

“It’s a relief,” agreed senior right fielder Angela Katsikis. “We’ve been having a rough patch these last few games, so it was a nice win.”

Katsikis, whom her coach described as “un-entitled” and “red hot from the plate all year long,” is one of just two seniors on the roster.

The lone junior, third baseman Stephanie Spitz (2 hits, 2 RBI against NQ), has provided the youthful team with much-needed consistency in the field. She also has sprinkled in timely hits throughout the season.

“(She) already acts as a captain,” Messina said. “She’s everything that you would want in a teammate.”

Hanover’s second season goal – winning the Patriot League Fisher Division – will come into focus today and tomorrow when the Indians play back-to-back games against division-leading Middleboro.

Whatever the outcome, Hanover’s players believe it’s their balanced play that will ultimately define them.

“We have a lot of speed, so we could play small-ball and be very successful,” MacDonald said. “But then we have players like Angela who can hit it out of the park any day.”